Truck Trend's 2013 Best In Class

Every Full-Size, Compact, Pickup, SUV, and Van 13 Winners in 12 Different Categories

Each year, the lines that divide vehicle categories get blurrier, making the "Best in Class" story that much more difficult to put together. It's hard enough to pick winners for each category; factor in determing the categories themselves, and it's exponentially harder! We also strive to make sure the comparisons within each category are as fair as possible.

That's why we continue to work on our Best in Class categories. Last year, we totally revamped the Midsize SUV category, now basing it on towing capacity instead of wheelbase length. That does a better job of keeping competitive vehicles together. Within that, we split them up between those that can tow up to 3500 pounds and those that can tow more, and split them again between vehicles offering luxury amenities and those that don't. We figure that buyers either want to buy capability, luxury cachet, or maybe both.

This year, we have made the Vans category cargo only, giving Full-Size and Compact each its own award.Some things haven't changed. The truck categories remain the same, as do Hard-Core 4x4, Full-Size SUV, Passenger Van, and Factory Power Runner. All vehicles here are from the 2013 model year and all specifications are from the manufacturers' media sites, accurate as of press time. Prices reflect the specific models listed in each category, and in some cases include optional equipment. In the case of Ram Heavy-Duty trucks, specifications are for the 2012 model year, as the 2013s were not on sale as of press time.

These are the true workhorses, the regular-cab 3/4-ton two-wheel-drive models that would be part of a fleet. This was a difficult category to vote on, more so than usual because we know what the 2013 Ram Heavy-Duty is going to be capable of, yet it isn't on sale yet -- nor have we driven it -- so it would be unfair to have it win here. We know that it will likely have the top towing capacity (estimated at 18,350 pounds), but as of press time, we don't know pricing. The Silverado HD and Ford Super Duty tie in GVWR, but the Chevy/GMC edge the Super Duty's towing capacity by 1000 pounds.

While this category has lost one vehicle for 2013, we expect it will return for 2014. When the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon arrive, they will be all-new. In the meantime, the Tacoma is still at the head of this class. Toyota continues to offer a wide variety of trim levels, bed, engine, transmission, and cab options. It also has the best towing capacity, but for power and payload capacity, the Frontier remains a close second.

We know what you're going to ask: How can the Truck of the Year come in second in this category? With Truck of the Year, we look at a full line of trucks, with a very specific list of criteria. With this Best in Class category, we're looking at one configuration: the heart of the market, the two-wheel-drive crew-cab. To narrow the field a bit, we restricted this award to half-tons and smaller. This is the segment of the market most light-duty truck buyers are going to consider. The Ford F-150 SuperCrew is tops when it comes to towing capacity, GVWR, and payload capacity. Trucks are tools, and in this segment, just these few numbers can be the deciding factor in a purchase decision. The Ford also offers the most engines and trim levels in this specific configuration. You can choose from the innovative, hard-working EcoBoost, a good base V-6, and two terrific V-8s, and eight trim levels. We think the Ram is an excellent truck (it wouldn't be TOTY if we didn't), but in this specific category, the Ford wins.

On the other side of the heavy-duty truck spectrum are the topline power pullers, which combine big luxury with loads of capability and toughness. They can tow the equivalent of 10 cars at once and have enough payload capacity to carry the weight of a 3/4-ton work truck, all while allowing the driver to ride in style. This was a close one, but the new Platinum is the best combo of both, with a good-looking cabin, 22,300-pound towing capacity, and a near-6000-pound payload. We like the Laramie Longhorn, too, even when considering the 2012 model.

This is the category we have changed the most for 2013. This year, we decided to eliminate passenger vans altogether, as we estimate that most Truck Trend readers are more interested in the most capable vans available -- the cargo vans -- and we also changed our specs to include towing capacity. The full-size van voting came down to two top contenders, the NV and the Sprinter. The Sprinter has a diesel, boasts a low cost of ownership, and offers plenty of amenities for work and comfort. And even though we know an all-new model is coming, the Transit Connect wins for the Compact Van category. It's built for work and has a payload capacity of 1600 pounds.

We love the idea of being able to go fast while carrying cargo, and there are two awesome vehicles in this category that'll achieve both without making you broke in the process. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is powered by a 470-hp, 6.4-liter V-8, and hits 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Our runner-up is new to the category; the FX2 F-150 is about as close as you can get to a modern-day Lightning. A rear-drive pickup with 411 horsepower and 11,300 pounds of towing capacity sounds pretty good!

This is our favorite SUV category in Best in Class, because it's where a vehicle has to be body-on-frame and full-size to be allowed to play. These are the big boys, the sport/utilities that can tow nearly 9000 pounds and have room for three rows of people. The Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon stay at the top -- they work hard, have hybrid models and active fuel management, nine-passenger seating, and 8200-pound towing capacity.

This is another fun one to argue over. Both first and second place combine excellent off-roading with decent on-road ability. Short-wheelbase versus long, SUV versus truck -- it isn't easy to choose. The Raptor adds beadlock wheels for 2013, and is still an amazing truck for high-speed driving, but the Rubicon gets the edge here for its abilities on slickrock, in dirt, and when rock-crawling.

Last year, we picked the Range Rover Evoque as the winner of this category, but thanks to improvements in the LR2, the Evoques kin is winner for 2013. Why? The LR2 now has the same engine as the Evoque, has a lower base price, and offers more cargo volume and a higher GVWR, and can tow 3500 pounds. The runner-up this year is the new GLK. We applaud Mercedes for being the first automaker to make a diesel engine available in this size and price category.

There have been some changes to this segment, and some new models, but we still voted for the Land Rover LR4. Yes, it's a big, heavy box, but it has no trouble getting from Point A to Point B in a hurry. In addition, it is fantastic off-road, its cabin is comfortable and quiet, and this brute is genuinely luxurious. It offers room for seven passengers, and can tow more than 7700 pounds. The runner-up, the M-Class, may be more biased toward on-road work, but also is highly capable.

These vehicles fall into the gray area between crossover and sport/utility. However, with a towing capacity of fewer than 3500 pounds, they certainly lean more toward the crossover side of the fence. The all-new Escape does a great job of providing SUV-like capability on a crossover platform. In fact, when it switched to the all-new platform, towing capacity didn't suffer -- the Escape can still tow up to 3500 pounds.

There are some new entrants in this category, but for us, the Grand Cherokee is still the champion. It offers the comfort and luxury of a unibody vehicle, with the off-road capability Jeep is known for. Within the posh cabin is an easy-to-use four-wheel-drive system, plus you can tow up to 7400 pounds. While the 5.7-liter engine is excellent in this SUV, the 3.6-liter V-6 is very good as well, and you can get the Grand Cherokee for around $30K.